Benitez on the brink as Liverpool visit Stoke

After the shambles of last week's white-out, the Premier League returns this weekend with what should be a full programme of games as England's slow thaw continues - hopefully.

Saturday's lunchtime kick-off is an intriguing prospect as fragile Liverpool travel to Stoke. Rafa Benitez is under intense pressure after the Reds were beaten at home by Championship side Reading in the FA Cup on Wednesday. Many pundits are calling for his head and another loss could spell the end for the Liverpool manager.

To make matters even worse for Benitez, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun will all be missing after picking up injuries against Reading.

Torres needs to have surgery after damaging knee cartilage and will be out for six weeks. Gerrard's hamstring problem will leave him on the sidelines for a fortnight and Benayoun will miss almost a month with a fractured rib.

Seventh-placed Liverpool are already five points away from fourth place and if things do not go according to plan they could finish the day down in eighth, behind in-form Birmingham.

Stoke have never beaten Liverpool in the Premier League and are not in great form, they have just four points from their last six games, but they are tough to beat at home and will scent blood.

League leaders Chelsea entertain Sunderland on Saturday afternoon. They are still missing their African stars, but Nicolas Anelka is available and youngster Daniel Sturridge could be given the chance to prove his worth in attack.

Last week Carlo Ancelotti's men benefited as Manchester United and Arsenal dropped points. The Blues will expect to capitalise with a win against a Sunderland side whose away form is dismal - they have lost five of their last six on the road. Sunderland's former Chelsea midfielder Bolo Zenden is hopeful of shrugging off a hamstring problem to face his former club.

New Burnley manager Brian Laws gets a baptism of fire as he takes his team to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon. Manchester United have had a bad week off the field and will be anxious to make football rather than finance their main concern once again. However, Alex Ferguson's men have hardly been pulling up trees on the pitch in recent weeks, they have won only three of their last six. They spurned the chance to go top of the table last week when they were lucky to scrape a draw with Birmingham.

On the plus side Ferguson's injury crisis appears to be easing. Both Nani and Nemanja Vidic could feature, and keeper Edwin van der Sar is set for a comeback after returning from compassionate leave - he has been caring for his wife who is recovering from a brain haemorrhage. Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea and Owen Hargeaves remain injured and Darren Fletcher is suspended

On Saturday evening Manchester City travel to Everton. Manchester City are flying at the moment and are fourth in the table after four straight wins under new boss Roberto Mancini.

Both sides have serious injury concerns. For City, Robinho, Micah Richards, Roque Santa Cruz, Nedum Onuoha, Stephen Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joleon Lescott, Michael Johnson and Wayne Bridge are all sidelined, while Emmanuel Adebayor is on compassionate leave after the gun attack on Togo's bus in Angola. Everton's injury list is only slightly shorter - they have seven players out while Yakubu and Joseph Yobo are at the African Cup of Nations.

Everton's season is slowly turning round and they are unbeaten in six games - but Mancini's City will present them with a stern test.

Elsewhere on Saturday bottom-club Portsmouth make the trip to Birmingham, who are on a 13 game unbeaten run and could go up to sixth if they win. Fifth-placed Tottenham, who are still battling for a Champions League spot, take on second-bottom Hull at White Hart Lane and 15th takes on 16th as Wolves host Wigan.

Sunday's big game sees Arsenal travel to Bolton, where Owen Coyle will take charge of the Trotters for the first time. Despite a draw against Everton last week, Arsenal are still the Premier League's form team and could be boosted by the return of Cesc Fabregas. Nicklas Bendtner could also be fit enough to take his place on the bench. But his return is small beer compared to that of Sol Campbell, and everyone will be waiting to see if the 35-year-old makes the squad after rejoining the Gunners in midweek.

Earlier in the day sixth placed Aston Villa, who are fighting for a European spot, take on West Ham at Villa Park. The final game of the weekend sees Fulham make the journey to Blackburn. ·